Aspects of the present disclosure may be directed to a reconfigurable antenna system including a reconfigurable antenna capable of providing various types of radiation patterns without having to be replaced or needing its orientation changed. The reconfigurable antenna may create various types of quasi-omni directional radiation patterns of different shapes depending on the environment.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A reconfigurable base station antenna system comprising: a base station antenna including a plurality of antenna panels connected to a support structure, wherein each of the antenna panels include at least two antenna columns, wherein each of the at least two antenna columns includes at least one antenna element; and a feeder network coupled to at least one of the at least two antenna columns of each of the antenna panels, the feeder network being configured to cause the base station antenna to form a first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern using a first subset of the antenna columns that comprises less than all of the antenna columns.
A reconfigurable base station antenna system has a base station antenna with multiple antenna panels connected to a support structure. Each antenna panel has at least two antenna columns, and each column includes at least one antenna element. A feeder network connects to at least one column of each antenna panel. The feeder network is configured to make the base station antenna create a first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern using only some (but not all) of the available antenna columns.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the feeder network is reconfigurable to feed a second subset of the antenna columns that is different than the first subset of antenna columns to configure the base station antenna to change from the first quasi-omni directional radiation pattern to another radiation pattern.
The reconfigurable base station antenna system described in Claim 1 has a feeder network that can be reconfigured to use a different set of antenna columns than it originally used. By feeding a different subset of antenna columns, the base station antenna's radiation pattern can be changed from the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to a different radiation pattern.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the feeder network is configured to change the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to another radiation pattern different from the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern.
The reconfigurable base station antenna system described in Claim 1 has a feeder network that can change the initial quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern of the base station antenna to a different radiation pattern, meaning the shape of the radio wave coverage is altered by reconfiguring the feeder network.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the another radiation pattern is a second quasi-omni directional radiation pattern.
In the reconfigurable base station antenna system described in Claim 3, the new radiation pattern is another quasi-omnidirectional pattern. In other words, the antenna changes from one quasi-omnidirectional coverage to another quasi-omnidirectional coverage.
5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the another radiation pattern is not a quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern.
In the reconfigurable base station antenna system described in Claim 3, the new radiation pattern is NOT a quasi-omnidirectional pattern. Instead of another quasi-omnidirectional coverage, the new radiation pattern is directional, or some other shape that is not quasi-omnidirectional.
6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the feeder network is configured to change the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to another radiation pattern by changing one or more antenna ports to which one or more of the signals is applied to the base station antenna.
In the reconfigurable base station antenna system described in Claim 3, the feeder network changes the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to another radiation pattern by changing which antenna ports receive signals at the base station antenna. By switching the signal connections, the radiation pattern changes.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern includes one or more maxima or one or more nulls at one or more predetermined positions.
In the reconfigurable base station antenna system described in Claim 1, the initial quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern has specific maximum signal strength areas or nulls (areas of very low signal) located at predetermined positions. The coverage pattern is specifically shaped for the environment.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern includes a single null.
In the reconfigurable base station antenna system described in Claim 1, the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern includes a single null, meaning one specific direction has very low signal strength in the initial configuration.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base station antenna includes more than two antenna panels.
In the reconfigurable base station antenna system described in Claim 1, the base station antenna has more than two antenna panels connected to the support structure, expanding the possibilities for coverage and reconfiguration.
10. A reconfigurable base station antenna system comprising: a base station antenna including a plurality of antenna panels connected to a support structure, wherein each of the antenna panels include at least two antenna columns, wherein each of the at least two antenna columns includes at least one antenna element; and a feeder network coupled to at least one of the at least two antenna columns of each of the antenna panels, the feeder network being configured to cause the base station antenna to form a first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern, wherein the feeder network is configured to change the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to another radiation pattern by changing an amplitude of one or more signals applied to the base station antenna.
A reconfigurable base station antenna system contains a base station antenna made of multiple antenna panels connected to a support. Each panel has at least two antenna columns, each with at least one antenna element. A feeder network connected to the antenna columns generates a first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern. The feeder network changes this pattern by altering the amplitude (strength) of one or more signals going to the base station antenna.
11. The system of claim 3 , wherein the feeder network is configured to change the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to another radiation pattern by changing a phase of one or more of the signals applied to the base station antenna.
In the reconfigurable base station antenna system described in Claim 3, the feeder network changes the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to another radiation pattern by changing the phase of one or more signals applied to the base station antenna, changing the relative timing of the signals to change the signal propagation.
12. A reconfigurable base station antenna system comprising: a base station antenna including a plurality of antenna panels connected to a support structure, wherein each of the antenna panels include at least two antenna columns, wherein each of the at least two antenna columns includes at least one antenna element; and a feeder network coupled to at least one of the at least two antenna columns of each of the antenna panels, the feeder network being configured to cause the base station antenna to form a first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern, wherein the feeder network includes a Butler matrix or at least two cables of different lengths, wherein the Butler matrix or the at least two cables are configured to provide a 120 degree phase difference between signals of one of the at least two antenna columns of a first of the antenna panels and signals of one of the at least two antenna columns of a second of the antenna panels.
A reconfigurable base station antenna system has a base station antenna with multiple antenna panels connected to a support structure. Each antenna panel has at least two antenna columns, and each column includes at least one antenna element. A feeder network connects to at least one of the antenna columns of each of the antenna panels, generating a first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern. The feeder network uses either a Butler matrix or at least two cables of different lengths to create a 120-degree phase difference between signals sent to antenna columns on different antenna panels to shape the beam.
13. A method for reconfiguring a radiation pattern of a base station antenna, the base station antenna including a plurality of antenna panels, each antenna panel having at least two antenna columns, each of the at least two antenna columns comprising one or more antenna elements, the method comprising: coupling a transceiver to at least one of the antenna columns of each antenna panel of the base station antenna; configuring a feeder network coupled between the transceiver and the base station antenna to form a first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern at the base station antenna; and thereafter reconfiguring the feeder network to change the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to a second radiation pattern that is different than the first quasi omnidirectional radiation pattern.
A method for reconfiguring the radiation pattern of a base station antenna, made up of multiple antenna panels each with antenna columns containing antenna elements, involves first connecting a transceiver to antenna columns on each panel. A feeder network is then configured to generate a first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern from the base station antenna. The method then reconfigures this feeder network to change the initial pattern to a different radiation pattern.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the changing comprises changing an amplitude of one or more signals applied to the base station antenna.
The method of reconfiguring a radiation pattern, described in Claim 13, changes the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to a different pattern by changing the amplitude (signal strength) of one or more signals sent to the base station antenna.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the changing comprises changing a phase of one or more signals applied to the base station antenna.
The method of reconfiguring a radiation pattern, described in Claim 13, changes the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern to a different pattern by changing the phase (timing) of one or more signals sent to the base station antenna.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the changing a phase comprises one of applying at least two cables of different lengths or applying a Butler matrix to provide a 120-degree phase difference between one of the antenna columns of one of the antenna panels, and at least one of the antenna columns of another of the antenna panels.
The method of reconfiguring a radiation pattern, described in Claim 13 where changing the radiation pattern involves changing a signal's phase, this phase change is accomplished using either cables of different lengths or a Butler matrix to create a 120-degree phase difference between signals sent to antenna columns on different antenna panels.
17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern includes one or more maxima or one or more nulls at one or more predetermined positions.
In the method of reconfiguring a radiation pattern, described in Claim 13, the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern has maximum signal strength areas or nulls (areas of very low signal) at predetermined positions.
18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern includes a single null.
In the method of reconfiguring a radiation pattern, described in Claim 13, the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern contains a single null, meaning one direction has very low signal strength in the initial configuration.
19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the base station antenna includes more than three antenna panels.
In the method of reconfiguring a radiation pattern, described in Claim 13, the base station antenna is comprised of more than three antenna panels allowing for more complex radiation patterns.
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the feeder network uses a first subset of the antenna columns that comprises less than all of the antenna columns to form the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern.
In the method of reconfiguring a radiation pattern of a base station antenna described in Claim 13, the feeder network uses a subset of the available antenna columns, meaning less than all columns, to create the first quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern. Some of the available columns aren't used for the initial radiation pattern.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the feeder network uses a second subset of the antenna columns that is different than the first subset of antenna columns to form the second radiation pattern.
The method of reconfiguring a radiation pattern described in Claim 20, which uses a subset of antenna columns for the first radiation pattern, then switches to a different subset of antenna columns to create the second, different radiation pattern.
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March 25, 2015
August 1, 2017
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